Just up the Silverado Trail from Napa, Odette Estate serves up cabernet with serious attitude in a setting just begging for Instagram documentation. Located near the southern end of the noted Stag's Leap wine district, Odette's tasting room brings to mind a country farmhouse—an incredibly modern and architecturally stunning farmhouse, that is. The space is bright and airy, situated at the base of one of the area's signature rolling hills. And then there's the wine.

California has just creaked through its driest January on record and is staring down a fourth year of crippling drought—and everyone is talking about it. A recent op-ed in the LA Times left us all quaking in our unused Hunter boots. As our reservoirs dwindle, the Department of Water Resources is pleading with residents to conserve water however we can—fix your leaky faucets; let go of your precious lawns. But for some winemakers in Napa Valley, the answer lies in more mystical methods that hail from medieval times.

There's no shortage of great food and wine in San Francisco, but there are also some hidden gems just across our three bridges. Mark your calendars for upcoming events from Sonoma Countyto Monterey. Queue up your playlist and roll down the windows—they are all well worth the drive.

A Wine Country escape is a prized ritual in Northern California. Tastings are a given, but add in the hiking, biking, spas, and hot springs, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. We’ve narrowed down the possibilities and divided them evenly by county: